So, if you’ve come to this page, you’re a true fan and a true audiophile.  You get that I’m singing, but you also want to know what I’m singing.  You care about the boys in the band.  You want to know who wrote what, who played what, and whether any of us were wearing underwear during the recording of the guitar solo.

Lessons From the Dead was recorded at Digital Insight Studios, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Your Balloon
(Steven Kalas)

Your balloon
It is on the rise now
Time for stars to shine on you
My balloon
Waiting on the ground now
Wish a breeze would lift me too

Hey there, lover
It’s your turn to fly
I could read by the light in your eyes
So since I love you, may I take a ride with you

Your balloon
Turn the flame up strong now
Watch it fill the form of you
My balloon
Fire hard to find now
It’s my turn to ride with you

Produced by Stacy Henry

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Move Like Water
(Steven Kalas)

Can you move like water through this game of hide and seek
Or would you rather be the man who's found but cannot speak

Impersonating icebergs is a lame excuse for love
There's more of you beneath the water than there is above

And you drift in currents
So glad to waste your time
Is it time to stir it
To eat the lemon rind

So fill your pants with ants and sand
Wear your watch on the other hand
Place a penny on the railroad track
Move some place where you can't go back
I don't want to see you here again

Reaching through the window
To take the ring of brass
But you have closed the window
All you taste is glass

I met your friend Inertia, a perverted circus clown
And as your dreams desert you, he will buy another round

Piano: Ken Gold
Flute: Jennifer Surface

Produced by Ken Gold

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The Cat Song
(Steven Kalas)

The cat curled up on the bedroom sheets, lying next to you
He’s all shagged out from a day of work doing the things cats do
He purrs to himself as he dreams cat dreams, his breath comes soft and deep
His belly’s full of crunchy cat food so he drifts right off to sleep

And he dreams of being with you all the days of his life
And he knows his place of safety is found as he stays right by your side

He doesn’t stray very far from you, he trusts the love you give
He never wonders if the neighbors porch would be a better place to live
He doesn’t ponder much philosophy, his mind he doesn’t haunt
Today he chooses faithfulness, you’re the one he wants

Why am I so frightened
How hard can it be
I can’t afford the luxury
Of pause for guarantee
She’ll not give that to me
I’ve only to believe

I must admit I’ve got a lot to learn from this feline friend of mine
He just kicks back and enjoys the time with his lady love so fine
Can you teach me tabby how you trust her so to care about your needs
I mean if cat food is your big concern, it is my soul she feeds

And I dream of being with her all the days of my life
And I know my place of safety will always be right here by her side

The cat curled up on the bedroom sheets, lying next to you
Excuse me cat but it’s time you return to doing the things cats do
Scoot along, live your life, I’ve heard you’ve eight or nine
Forgive me friend but I must insist that place your in is mine

Mandolin: David Braun
Percussion: Lenny Lopez

Produced by Steven Kalas

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True and Beautiful
(Steven Kalas)

I tend to be fluid
Eager to please
Happy to help you
Some see the forest
Some see the trees
Everyone is welcome

But one thing I won’t ever say
One thing I will never do

I won’t call ugly ‘beautiful’
Whatever the advance
However long the band plays lies
I won’t get up to dance

I like living hopeful
A little naive
Wanting to understand
Offer my life
As a transparency
No weapon in my hand

So let’s find what’s true and beautiful
Or leave me to go my separate way

But I won’t call ugly ‘beautiful’
Whatever the advance
However long the band plays lies
I won’t get up to dance

Produced by Steven Kalas

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Lessons From the Dead 
(Steven Kalas)

Ever curse the dead
Throw a rock against the headstone
Or thanking them instead
Telling them what fine folks they were
Noble characters

I’ll bet they said nothing
Nothing at all
Nothing
I’ll bet they gave no answered call
Your opinion matters not at all

Lessons from the dead
They always rest so fine and easy
You just turn your head
Chasing every praise and critique Both make you weak

What if you said nothing
Nothing at all
Nothing
What if you gave no answered call
They’re opinion matters not at all

Standing in the cyclone of a man who knows himself
Time to nail the dishes to the floor
One part inspiration and the rest here to destroy
Now we sort the rubble from the joy

Michelangelo
Spent his days upon the ceiling
You want to thank him so
But why does he seem so aloof
Did he paint it for you?

I’ll bet he says nothing
Nothing at all
Nothing
I’ll bet he gives no answered call
He paints because he has to paint or fall

Produced by Ken Gold

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Can’t Be Heaven
(Steven Kalas)

Footballs, baseballs, basketballs
Two little boys and their toys
Played each game until the bitter end
Oh, start a league and make-believe
That was Paul and Steve
Turns out they became the best of friends
An only once-per-lifetime sort of friends 

 Steve grew up and found the Lord
Paul grew up, was mostly bored
All he found was questions without answers
Friends and family tried to push
Paul held out for a burning bush
These two friends gave life two different answers
Paul would doubt and Steven would romance her

They laughed and loved and cried, grew old and died
They laughed and loved and cried, grew old and died
Thanked two women for their children
Drank of life like bawdy wine
And then – surprise – they just grew old and died 

Steve arrived at heaven’s gate
Looked around, could hardly wait
To find old Paul and say, “I told you so.”
Went to the angel concierge
Said, “I’ve been up and down the stairs
Can you help me find my boyhood friend named Paul?”
The angel pushed a button on the wall

A window opened up and then
Steven looked and saw his friend
Wandering alone outside the wall
The angel said, “Let’s celebrate
Paul’s made his bed, but you got saved
Come enjoy the rich rewards of faith
Come with me, I’ll show you ‘round the place” 

Steven stood and blinked his eyes
Choked his words, apologized
Said, “Angel, this ain’t personal at all
This place is dear; I like to hear
Your friends sing in the hall
But for me it can’t be heaven without Paul
We’ll be outside playing basketball
Please call me if you change your mind ‘bout Paul

If God esteems integrity, then there’s a place for doubt to be
Standing proud with those who do believe
Paul would not believe ‘til he believed 

Produced by Steven Kalas

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Carpet Fragments
(Steven Kalas)

An errant frisbee started dialogue
Coincidence
Your disdain, my arrogance, a randy fog
I couldn’t keep from calling you
But never did we follow through 

Our last supper eaten chaste between the taunts
What do you want
Italian take-out from Campises’s restaurant
I took the plunge into your eyes
I was swimming for my life

Your love has left me carpet fragments scattered here
And all you’ve ever done for me is buy the beer
Your skin malingers, pouring from unbuttoned lace
We take turns staring in each others face 

Other girls have asked how I remember you
Did I love you
I am quick to tell them we were never two
A footnote on the bye and bye
It seems to me a harmless lie

Produced by Stacy Henry

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 I Wonder If You Know
(Steven Kalas)

I don’t spend my time wondering where the echo goes
And I don’t need to count the snowflakes when it snows
But lately there’s a question
And it just won’t let me go
I wonder if you know that I love you

Don’t you remember me?  I come home every night
I tell my friends that I’m the richest man alive
I brought your favorite ice cream
On that day you had to cry
How could you not know that I love you

Take a lesson from Rapunzel
Oh please let down your hair
Every morning you will notice I’m still there
There’s no one can make me leave you
And your fears won’t make me stay
It’s written on my face how I do love you

Ego dreams are weary and are mostly made of air
An attic full of trophies, I can’t bring myself to care
But one ambition lingers
And it burns within my soul
I need to know you know that I love you

How could you not know that I love you
I wonder if you know

Produced by Stacy Henry

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Here Inside the Crucible (with You)
(Steven Kalas)

Go ahead baby and roll the dice
Place me there on the pass line
Tie me like Isaac and I’ll make nice
Bare my heart for the sacrifice
And maybe you’ll roll a sweet, sweet seven
Spare my life by a voice from heaven
And maybe someday I’ll understand
Just how you could risk us at all

Go ahead baby, maybe you’re right
Chop the past up for firewood
Maybe my feelings are all just lies
Residue from my childhood
And maybe you see what I can’t see
Maybe I need this agony
And maybe someday I’ll understand
Just how you could risk us at all

What pound of my flesh, dear
Shall I carve here at your table
Step back from the edge now
Before you’re no longer able

I swear I didn’t know how blind I was to myself, baby
I’m sorry for the way I raged at you, calling you crazy
I’m here inside the crucible with you

Here we go baby, I know you’re right
All my life I’ve been terrified
Please won’t you stay here and be my wife
See us through to the other side
I’ll never abandon you again
You’ll have lots of room, I won’t pretend
And then our desire will ascend
We’ll love to be lovers and friends

Produced by Steven Kalas

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Accident
(Steven Kalas)

It was an accident
My creeping discontent
Never an intention but to stay here wanting to love you
It was an accident
I think my soul is bent
Never an intention but to spend my life wanting to love you

I can’t stop staring at the empty place
Where a moment ago I loved you
And I can’t bear the look on your face
Now that I said we’re through
I feel so guilty as I watch you cry
I might have expected you would ask me why
And all I have is this sorry explanation for you

Rolling the tape on an endless loop
Like a horror movie deja vu
You stirred my heart in the romance soup
Made my whole world shiny and new
How could my Maker be so careless and mean
I didn’t get the commitment gene
Have you seen my shoes or my keys or my love for you

Backing Vocals: D.R. Wilke, Paul Taylor
Guitars: D.R. Wilke
Bass: Skinny Bishop
Drums: Gary Bruzzese
Percussion: Gary Bruzzese

Accident was recorded at Wide Range Productions, Tempe, Arizona

Produced by D.R. Wilke

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Breathing You
(Steven Kalas)

I always have a little trouble breathing
Whenever I first see you in the room
It’s like I have to choose between what I’m feeling
And the everyday breathing I have to do

You’d think that I would step out on the front porch
To find myself and taste the night’s fresh air
Instead I lay my cheek against your temple
And take a dizzy breath of you standing there

Breathing you, it takes me to the place where I feel everything
Breathing you, I think I could do anything life asked of me
See you now, gasp for air
Bury my face in your hair
Ah, breathing you, I breathe again

You turn your head to offer invitation
I wonder where you hidden the perfume
Moving down your neck across your shoulder
Take another sweet, deep breath of you

Violin: Rebecca Ramsey
Violin: Lisa Vesqulia
Viola: Susan Barton
Cello: Naldo Posella
English horn: Jay Volney
Percussion: Joe Bergeron
Additional backing vocals: Lucy Shropshire, Tony Perry
String Arrangments: Ken Gold

Produced by Ken Gold

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It’s All a Dream
(Steven Kalas)

I can conquer the world when I’m fast asleep
Nothing can chase me away
I can’t wait to see all the adventures
Of night time come true in the day

Torn from my bed by a sunrise come frolicking
Will there be dancing or dragons today

It’s all a dream
Learning to see all the wonder in what you can’t see
It’s all a dream
Sleeping and waking are not all that different to me

Daylight it darkens illumined reality
Night it sheds light on the darkness of day

Sleeping, I find I can count all the angels
Who swim in my warm cup of tea
Dreaming with clarity all of the heroes
And villains who I want to be

Binding two worlds in a death grip of sanity
Never to choose between night and the day

Strange how somehow beneath all my terror
I find all the courage I need
Stranger still how letting my fear have its way with me
Always makes me less afraid

Violin: Marna Bowling
Violin: Priscilla Benitez
Viola: Caroline Ruiz
Cello: Karen Koger
Mandolin: David Braun
Piccolo Trumpet: Gary Cordell
String Arrangements: D.R. Wilke
Horn Arrangments: D.R. Willke

Produced by Stacy Henry

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Mr. Jack Paper
(Steven Kalas)

Buy them out and tear them down
That’s Mr. Paper’s job
The daily grind, and he keeps time
With his steady headache throb
Home from work, kiss the wife
Bask in his stark success
But lately something nags his heart
A dreaded emptiness

Jack Paper is a grownup now
But something’s left behind
A lovely wife, dear children, too
Life’s been more than kind
But choices made for happiness
Are choices that enslave
The part of Jack that holds the key
Lies mourning in a cave

Another day, another sunrise
Fails to light his heart
How he aches to find some meaning
Oh, but where to start
All a man could want he has
But it’s a dried up stream
He says, “What I want isn’t real”
But late that night he dreams

PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON
LIVED BY THE SEA
AND FROLICKED IN THE AUTUMN MIST
IN A LAND CALLED HON-A-LEE
PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON
LIVED BY THE SEA
AND FROLICKED IN THE AUTUMN MIST
IN A LAND CALLED HON-A-LEE**

Funny he should think of Puff
After all these years
His mom and dad, they all would laugh
‘Til Jackie was in tears
A day’s long drive, he parks the car
Where Cherry Lane dead ends
A lonely voice speaks to his heart
“I’ve missed you my old friend”
Old Jack Paper kneels to cry
As Puff roars “Welcome home”
“Why’d you leave me,” Puff demands
“What turned your heart to stone
It’s me you need, you silly man
The joy you miss is mine
Life without imagination
Isn’t worth the time”

Out the back door, on the grass
Jack sees his son pretend
The boy appears to speak to some
Imaginary friend
“This is Nim, the happy giant”
The boy points to thin air
“He would like to stay for dinner”
Jack adds an empty chair

Bass: John Parker

Produced by Steven Kalas

**The characters in this song and the lyrics/music in Jack’s ‘dream’ are of course taken from Puff, The Magic Dragon, copyright 1963, Peter Yarrow/Leonard Lipton.

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Mary Said
(Steven Kalas)

Mary said that I could be her special guy
She wondered if I might want to apply
She asked me if I had rehearsed a kiss good night
If not, she said, an improv would be fine

My brain stops; I just freeze
Mouth wide open; I don’t breathe
Did this girl just offer her heart up to me

Mary said that I could be her special guy
She wondered if I might want to apply
She asked me if I had rehearsed a kiss good night
If not, she said, and improv would be fine

Pinch my soul and shake my tree
Did this girl just speak to me
Or did I just lose my mind in some daydream

Early on I accepted
I would just eat the crumbs of her friendship
So if I look surprised by her question
Well I am

Her hand upon my face eclipse the front porch light
And now she floats her lips up to meet mine
My heart becomes a chocolate candy held too tight
The night that never happened turned out fine

Mandolin: David Braun
Piccolo Trumpet: Gary Cordell

Produced by Stacy Henry

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Just Your Luck
(Steven Kalas)

She says the world’s her oyster and her specialty is pearls
Every sad mistake becomes a treasure for this girl
Her necklace is so beautiful, each pearl an unborn sun
Shameless now with happiness, she won’t take shit from anyone
Her laughter seeks communion and her soul some company
She reaches for the universe and lays her hands on me

Just your luck
Just your luck
Just your luck
To meet a man
To meet a man
To meet a man
With a broken heart

The love of my life tossed me like a paper drinking cup
She said she was my soulmate, but soulmates don’t break up
Grief eviscerating ‘til you wonder how you breathe
I woke up from my fairy tale in time to see her leave
My friends insist I’m not a man who takes a bitter bath
But the next girl says she loves me, I think I’m gonna laugh

Just my luck
Just my luck
Just my luck
To meet a girl
When I’m afraid
I’ll never open up
My broken heart

You look like you have seen some stars and heard the sound of bells
I’m so grateful for your company, but still in love with someone else
I’m here inside this moment girl, tomorrow I can’t say
I would not want to hurt you, but I might just hurt you anyway

Produced by Steven Kalas

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You See Better
(Steven Kalas)

So often I see a tired empty eloquence
I see a clever crippled confidence
Yeah, I see the vacuum of my common sense
I like what you see better
I like what you see better

Too often I see a heart of simple selfishness
I see a vision bathed in bitterness
Yeah, I see another day of wasted breath
I like what you see better
I like what you see better

Everyone inside my head has spoken
They’re all in agreement here
They tell me I should see myself as broken
To be embarrassed by the man in the mirror

But in your eyes another path has opened
A choice between the voices loud and cruel
To see the man you see is what I’m hoping
Self-hatred breaks the rules

It’s better, it’s better, it’s better, ooooo
It’s better, it’s better, it’s better, ooooo

But still I see a man who’s quite ridiculous
You see the man who brings you happiness
Please hear the echo of my thankfulness
I like what you see better
I like what you see better
I like what you see better
Now I can see me better

Keyboard: Ken Gold
Vocal Arrangements: D.R. Wilke
Cello arrangement: Ken Gold

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